THOREAU’S

9 Transcendentalist Principles

Rules to live by

The information in this PowerPoint is on the test for this unit AND the midterm exam. You will need to know about Henry David

Thoreau’s life and you will need to know his 9 Transcendentalist Principles (this will be a

matching section on the test and the midterm). So make sure you copy ALL

of these notes down word for word.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU 1817-1862 extremely independent and

stubborn, hard to get along with devoted to the art of living fully

in nature Emerson was his friend and mentor Went to Harvard Students’ uniforms were black

robes. He wore green.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

Briefly worked in a pencil factory and as a teacher after college, but quit both

Proposed to a woman who turned him down

FAIL

WALDEN POND

For two years he lived on 27 cents a week (=$12/week now) in a shack he built by himself on the shores of Walden Pond

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

While he was there, he wrote Walden- known as the “supreme work of Transcendentalist literature.”

HENRY DAVID THOREAU While he lived at Walden, when he

looked toward town (2 miles away), Thoreau saw his fellow citizen “so caught up in making a living that they became one-dimensional.”

THOREAU & THE MEXICAN WAR Thoreau did not agree with the

Mexican War b/c it was in favor of slavery

So he didn’t pay his taxes b/c he knew the taxes would go to support the war So he went to jail gladly He also helped fugitive escaped

slaves escape to Canada.

HENRY DAVID THOREAU

After Walden, he lived with Emerson for a while, then moved back in with his parents Supported himself with taking odd

jobs around town Died of tuberculosis

Very clam about death.

#1: GOD AS NATURE

Look inside yourself for divine guidance in learning to

understand the nature of God.

God

Nature

Man

Oversoul

#2: CONTEMPLATION OF DIVINE NATURE AND NATURE

Live life close to nature, for there a person can most successfully contemplate his reason for being

#3: SEARCH FOR MEANING Devote yourself to the search

for the meaning of life and not to the acquisition of material things

#4: PHYSICAL AND MENTAL WORK

A person should be both physically and intellectually active throughout life

#5: KNOW THYSELF Have the courage to follow the

dictates of your own conscience, and be prepared to face the consequences

Example: Thoreau was a teacher, and when his headmaster tried to make him punish a kid with a whipping, Thoreau said “no” and quit.

#6: TIME AND PERSONAL GROWTH

Give time priority to personal growth rather than working for money Find a job you love to do, not just to

make $

#7: LEAST GOVERNMENT BEST

Have the courage to practice some sort of non-violent law-breaking if you believe the law to be in violation of your principles. Be willing to take the consequences that the government might invoke.

#8: DETERMINE TRUTH FOR YOURSELF

Live today for today, since yesterday is gone and tomorrow may never come now is the only true reality accept only those traditions which

appear to be true to you and reject the rest

#9: BE YOURSELF

Be yourself by exercising the self-discipline necessary to live by the first eight principles

#9